"I shall not seek one. I have only stayed here with the hope that I may find out from her ladyship who and what my parents were, and she will not tell me. I shall live by my wits, never fear; `the world's my oyster,' as Shakespeare says, and I think I've wit enough to open it." I had not forgotten the observations of Lady M--relative to Lionel, and what the lad now said made me surmise that there was some mystery, and, on examination of his countenance, there _was_ a family likeness to Lady R--. I also called to mind her unwillingness to enter upon the subject when I brought it up. "But, Lionel," said I, after a pause, "what is it that makes you suppose that Lady R--conceals who were your parents--when we last talked on the subject, you said you had found out something--she told me that your father was a bailiff, or steward to Sir Richard." "Which I have proved to be false. She told me that my father was Sir Richard's butler; that I have also discovered to be false, for one day the old housekeeper, who called upon me at school, came here, and was closeted with Lady R--for half-an-hour. When she went away, I called a hackney-coach for her, and getting behind it, went home with her to her lodgings. When I found out where she lived, I hastened back immediately that I might not be missed, intending to have made a call upon her. The next day Lady R--gave me a letter to put in the twopenny-post; it was directed to a Mrs Green, to the very house where the hackney-coach had stopped, so I knew it was for the old housekeeper. Instead of putting the letter in the post, I kept it till the evening, and then took it myself. "`Mrs Green,' said I, for I found her at home with another old woman, sitting over their tea, `I have brought you a letter from Lady R--.' This is about a year ago, Miss Valerie. "`Mercy on me,' said she, `how strange that Lady R--should send you here.' "`Not strange that she should send a letter by a servant,' said I, `only strange that I should be a servant.' "I said this, Miss Valerie, as a random throw, just to see what answer she would make. "`Why, who has been telling you anything?' said she, looking at me through her spectacles. "`Ah,' replied I, `that's what I must keep to myself, for I'm under a promise of secrecy.'